A downtown Mill Valley toy store has turned its neighboring storefront into a walk-in fairy tale.
Woander, the toy and game shop on Throckmorton Avenue, opened Story Stump: The Singing Garden on Oct. 17 at 77 Throckmorton Ave. The indoor puppet show lasts about 50 minutes and is recommended for children ages 3 to 9 accompanied by adults.
The production is advertised for Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 22, with listed showtimes at 10 a.m., noon, 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are advertised at $45 per person. Families should check the production’s ticket calendar for availability on individual dates.
Groups of up to 30 enter a transformed retail space, according to the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce’s announcement. A mysterious storm has damaged a magical garden, and children help restore it alongside puppet characters including Lexi the Storybook Fairy, Gus the Gigglepillar and Lulu Bird.
At the garden’s center stands the Story Stump, a giant redwood tree that serves as Lexi’s home.
Gabrielle Greenfield performs Lexi and Filbert the Chipmunk. Ellie J., also known as Clown Daddy, performs Robin the Gardener, Gus and Lulu Bird, according to the production’s official team page.
Writer and director Matthew Purdon said the concept grew from childhood television.
“I grew up watching Mister Rogers and Sesame Street, and I loved those worlds and characters,” Purdon said in the announcement. He said he wanted to create a space where characters could recognize children and children could shape the story.
According to the producer, children can create a story online with a digital version of Lexi before attending. During the live performance, Lexi reveals their creations in her storybook, incorporating their contributions into the show.
Purdon, a trained actor and technology designer who co-founded the immersive-experience company Odyssey Works, said he first imagined the fantasy world on walks through the redwoods with his children. He developed it through workshops and playtests before staging The Wylding Woods, Woander’s 2025 production, which the company said sold out.
The Singing Garden is the first in a planned series of Story Stump adventures set in the Wylding Woods universe.
If you go
- What: Story Stump: The Singing Garden
- Where: 77 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, next to Woander
- When: Advertised weekend run through Nov. 22; check individual dates and showtimes
- Ages: Recommended for children ages 3 to 9, accompanied by adults
- Tickets: Advertised at $45 per person through the production’s website
